The present invention relates generally to toys and, more particularly to a toy, a part of which can be manually made mobile.
Spinning tops and gyroscopes are known to have a balancing property in that when the top or gyroscope is spun, the torque produced by the spinning can prevent the top or gyroscope from falling off its spinning or rotation axis. While the top or gyroscope is spinning, its rotation axis is moving around in a phenomenon known as xe2x80x9cgyroscopic precessionxe2x80x9d. Thus, gyroscopes have been widely used in nautical and flight navigation.
It is advantageous and desirable to incorporate the gyroscopic principle in toys to enhance the visual effect of such toys.
The present invention uses a flywheel rotatably mounted in a housing of a toy body and a tool to cause the flywheel to spin relative to the housing. The housing has a ball-end rested on a concave tip of a support. The torque produced by the fast spinning flywheel prevents the housing from falling off the support according to the gyroscopic principle.
Thus, the present invention provides a gyroscopic toy, which comprises:
a housing with a rotational axis, wherein the housing includes:
a spinning member rotatably mounted in the housing,
a spur gear connected to the spinning member so as to cause the spinning member to rotate about the rotational axis relative to the housing for producing a gyroscopic effect, and
a mounting mechanism located on an exterior section of the housing, defining a mounting axis substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis;
a gimbals member movably mounted on the mounting mechanism for moving about the mounting axis relative to the housing; and
an end post connected to the housing for supporting the housing when the spinning member is rotating about the rotation axis for producing the gyroscopic effect.
Preferably, the toy has one or two figurines attached to the gimbals member for producing an enhanced visual effect of the toy.
Preferably, the gimbals member is a closed-loop having a circumference, and the gimbals member includes a pair of mounting members located on the circumference so as to allow one or more further gimbals member to be movably mounted on the mounting member, and the figurines to be attached to the further gimbals members.
Preferably, the spinning member comprises a rotor hub on which the spur gear is located, and a flywheel mechanically engaged to the rotor hub.
Preferably, the end post has a first round end and an opposing second end connected to the housing.
Preferably, the toy further includes a support stand having a first end for resting on a surface and an opposing second end, wherein the second end has a concave surface for seating the first end of the end post.
Alternatively, at least one of the feet of one figurine has a concave surface for seating the first end of the end post.